Packaged Products

The Marine Stewardship Council has for the first time, certified a line of sustainably caught tuna products. American Tuna, which is a small, family owned fishery employing pole and line fishing techniques, offers smoked and canned albacore.

The family-owned company, SC Johnson, is fairly prominent in every household’s cleaning and kitchen cabinets—makers of Windex, Pledge, Drano, Shout, Ziplok and other household products. The company announced a new labeling system called Greenlist for many of its products. The labeling system is based on a company analyzing process (patented) that generates an environmental impact summing for each product and helps them adjust the formula.

In a dubious effort to curb skyrocketing childhood obesity rates in Mexico, Pepsico has released a video game aimed at educating children about healthy choices. The game compels kids to monitor a Tamagotchi-like character called "Nutrin," ensuring that he balances his caloric intake with exercise — presumably sending the message that Pepsico products can be a part of a healthy lifestyle so long as one plays enough soccer.

According to a new report, an epoxy resin that lines the cans of baby formula is present at an unsafe level and may later cause reproductive problems. The resin, Bisphenol A, is found in liquid-type formulas, such as Good Start, Similac and Enfamil (manufactured by Nestle, Ross-Abott and MeadJohnson).

2007 saw continued growth in the organic foods market, eco-safe fish hitting the shelves at Wal-Mart, and "locavore" voted word of the year by the Oxford American Dictionary. But can we expect ethical eating to fizzle out as a fad or become even bigger in 2008?